are race pipes loud?

hey since i live in va and there arent any emmision laws (that i know of lol) i'm thinkin about getting a race pipe to eliminate a cat, but i'm wondering if my exuast will become louder? normally i like loud but since i'm only 16 loud exuast + new driver + cops doesent equal a nice combo. also do they give noticable gains in power?

well im 17 plus i live in virginia also and my exhaust is loud yet i havnt got pulled yet.. but ive heard they will

test pipes on non turbos will be loud as hell. Turbo'd cars aren't loud because the turbo is the biggest restriction in the exhaust. I dont have any precats, cats on my car, stillen downpipe, ported O2 housings, and a custom catback with just glasspacks as mufflers (which is basically a straight pipe surrounded by fiber glass) and its not really that loud at all.

niether is mine

Instead of installing a test pipe, put in a QTEC. It's like choosing between an illegal test pipe and a legal exhaust with the flip of a switch. check it out here http://www.quicktimeperformance.com/QTEC/index.html .
Or you can always just go with a standard y pipe cutout and manually remove the flange, but the QTEC is 1) awesome and 2) a lot easier than crawling under or perhaps even jacking up your car.

wow i like the sound of the QTEC's, i always wondered if such devices existed, guess so, but thos things are pricy compared to a test pipe of ebay :) so since my car is boosted, it won't be too loud right.

so ya, QTEC is a bit pricy, but don't go with a test pipe, just get a y-pipe cut out for your exhaust. That way you can open the flange (to bypass the exhaust--same effect as test pipe) or close the flange to have a street legal car, for say if you get the emissions tested. You can find a bunch of y-pipe cutouts on ebay.

i have a test pipe and magna flow exhaust on my 97 base and it isnt anytihng that will get you pulled over. i felt more power from the test pipe than cat back exhaust and it was cheaper

The cutout will be louder than a testpipe, as it will be essentially like running an open downpipe. If you have a testpipe, it frees up the flow, but the air still travels through the mufflers.
Also if you have an N/A, which you don't, but if you did, the cutout hurts low-end torque and helps in high-end hp. Go with a $30 testpipe and gut your precats. And when you have the money, get a new downpipe. You will really get some nice gains from allowing your turbo more breathability.